Gears of Fate
So… a guy shows up looking like a clown and shouting some stuff about ruined plans or something.
I mean, we didn’t even ask him, but he goes and confesses his crimes… is he an idiot?
Maybe he is a clown, so I concluded.
The Clown–Gelmudo-san seems to be very angry.
Is he just calcium-deficient? I guess devils need vitamins.
Then the clown said,
「What a useless blockhead!
Making this great Gelmudo-sama come out all the way out here!!!」
What a horrible manner of speech.
Waking to these words, Gabil called out.
「Ah, Gelmudo-sama! You’ve come to our rescue!」
Eh? This lizard… was he passed out the entire time?
You… he called you orc food, you know.
「Ah? Oh, what do you know, it’s Gabil. You should’ve been killed already!
Rejoice! You are dying for my sake!!」
Saying thus, Gelmudo pointed his hand at Gabil.
And saying, “Die!”, he fired a magic bullet at him.
「Protect Gabil-sama!」
「Gabil-sama is in danger!」
Screaming their lungs out–Gabil’s followers.
Well, maybe because hitting five targets weakened it, or maybe they were just really tough, but none of them died.
Gravely wounded, but still alive.
「Guys… what is the meaning of this, Gelmudo sama?!!!」
A panicked Gabil asks.
Betrayed by his most trusted person, Gabil’s face was pale despair.
「Ga… Gabil-sama, it’s dangerous here… please run away…!」
Even when on verge of death his subordinates worry about him. What great subordinates he has.
Soldiers that a commander yearns for… something like that?
「Lowly lizards! If you want to die that much, I’ll gladly kill you all!
And have the Orc Lord devour your bodies!!!」
While saying that, I felt him gathering a larger magic bullet in his hand.
Hmph.
Right in front of the scared and trembling Gabil.
I wonder how I look to Gabil? A passing thought.
Gabil caught my interest. So I’ll save him. That was the only reason.
I live free!
However, he looks completely lost. Maybe all the new information overloaded his brain?
I’m just pissed at the clown.
Gelmudo, however, completely ignored me and fired the magic bullet.
「Fuhahahaha! I’ll show you the power of a high class devil!
Die! Shisha no Koushinenbu!!! (Death March Dance)」
A large magic bullet, split in mid air, and as if drawing a circle flew at us.
In my child form, I lift my small hand as if to grab it.
I was immediately able to analyze it. It was a simple magic manipulation skill.
If he went all out to fire this round, then he’s no threat to me.
Let’s make sure,
「Hey, did you really intend to kill me with this boring skill? To test your words, could you please show me how to die? 」
Saying that, I fired off a magic bullet.
That got me thinking. The one he had fired was the size of a head, so was probably denser and more potent.
How fun!
And if I bore of this, I can just eat him.
Gelmudo was sent flying.
Rolling over, he desperately started to regenerate his wounds.
Let’s enjoy (eating) my first devil.
And Shion, despondent due to not being able to go all out… nope, that’s not how she looked.
No idea how she’ll be venting all the pent up later though, but it should be fine.
I leisurely walk right up to Gelmudo – who was still rolling on the ground.
「Just get up already. Weren’t you going to show me the power of a high class devil?」
I kicked the collapsed Gelmudo.
What a brittle guy.
「Y-yo-you! How dare you! To a high…」
Kicking the ground, I immediately appear right in front of Gelmudo.
I don’t feel pain of the impact of course, but as my punch drives further and further into his flesh, Gelmudo’s face distorted in anguish.
And once again, I fire off a magic bullet.
Unless I start infusing my punches with energy, of course. If I do, my punches also become quite lethal, and energy consumption grows.
Seems like I can fight barehanded like a certain warrior race. Not that I will.
I wonder why?
≪Solution. It is based on ranking system as defined by humans that focuses on the amount of energy in circulation.
Moreover, since skill level is not included in the ranking, great difference of strength tend to occur among those of the same rank≫
So that’s how it was.
And that’s why Hakurou, who’s skill level was surely high, had obtained that powerful body.
So right now, I know I cannot possibly lose against either Gelmudo or the Orc Lord.
「Hey, can’t you put on a good show? Or is that clown appearance just for laughs?」
What kind of skills does he have?
I don’t feel any threat from him. Rather, it’s like I’m asking a shopkeeper to show me his wares.
「Wh-wha-whaaat… you! Y-y-y-youuuu!!! Such words, to a high ranking devil, such… you…」
I hit him.
Can’t this guy properly respond when asked?
「Sto-stop! Please stop! I’m backed by the Demon Lords! For you to do such a thing!!!」
Seems like he’s saying something.
And… demon lord Leon is, well, my prey.
「And? How are you planning on going back to cry to them? You aren’t thinking that I’ll let you live, right?」
Hearing my question, Gelmudo pales and he begins to tremble in fear.
Gelmudo then used some kind of spell and flew into the air. Seems like he’s trying to escape.
I could fly with by sprouting wings, but not at supersonic speeds. This guy, on the other hand was pretty fast. I want it.
I shot him down with a fire bullet.
Gelmudo fell crashing into the ground. He was so flustered that he didn’t even put up a guard.
Especially those who’d take advantage of and discard people–for them I show no mercy. But since he possesses various abilities, let’s at least munch on him a bit.
When I approach,
「Kieeeeeeeeeee!!! Stay away! You’re finished! The demon lords won’t forgive you!!!」
He blurted out while trying to crawl away.
Probably need to interrogate him before he has a chance to.
Though I can acquire the skills, there being too few of them is one of the flaws (if I can call it that).
In utter terror, Gelmudo shoots magic bullets at me while crawling away. Not that they have any effect.
He doesn’t have enough power to break through my barrier. That much we already established.
The Orc Lord stands there, does he plan to ask for help?
In any case, I had planned to exterminate the Orc Lord later. If they both come at once, it save me some trouble.
I wouldn’t mind if the orc lord peacefully capitulates; I don’t hate him.
Though I do worry that orc soldiers will then be running around causing trouble in the forest.
While thinking these things, I let him distance himself from me.
「You blockhead! Don’t just stand there doing nothing! Save me!
Hyahahaha! I don’t know who the hell you are, but you must be able to see this orc’s power! Go, Orc Lord! Make the idiot who dared strike me regret…」
*Doshun!*
A head rolled.
*Baki, baribori…*
Gelmudo’s body was cut up into a thousand pieces.
*Guchaguchaboriboriguchabaki*
Ueh… He’s being eaten.
And ripping his body up, he began eating him.
And besides, the Orc had also been aiming to eat him? Or was it by instinct?
His eyes glowing a pale light, he seems to have become intelligent.
And released an aura that could not be compared with his past self.
≪Confirmed. The Orc Lord’s magical energy has greatly increased.
Individual: Orc Lord has evolved into Demon Lord Orc Disaster≫
I didn’t ask about that! I can do without an explanation.
Without a care for my thoughts,
「Fuhaaaaa!I am the Demon Lord Orc Disaster. The Devourer of the World.
Call me, Demon Lord Gelmudo!!! Honor given to my first prey!!!」
See.
Just like some alien with an M-shape bald spot, getting carried away and losing. Letting the enemy increase their power only to lose afterwards. Pathetic.
Let’s remember from now on. Kill them when you can. A golden rule.
What should I do about him? Thinking that, I got a little depressed.
The Demon lords silently observed the scene.
「How fun!」
The girl muttered.
The moment he looked over at her.
And as expected, Gelmudo wanted to cheat by intervening in the conflict.
A human child wearing a beautiful mask.
The flustered and irrational Gelmudo had not noticed the large gathering of high class monsters.
Their ability unnaturally high, they are often said to be capable of crushing the heavens. And three of such oni were present.
And a fang wolf that evolved strangely was also present. Judging from his appearance alone, he was at least an A rank monster.
A child wearing a beautiful mask. Certainly not a normal person. Probably a monster that took on the appearance of a human.
Those summoned or “World Travelers” were certainly strong, but none so as a child.
By a process of elimination, they demon lords figured out the correct answer.
One capable of easily overpowering the A rank high class devil Gelmudo.
Power that they couldn’t ignore.
「Who would’ve thought that that Gelmudo would put on such a good show!」
The girl exclaimed happily.
「Seriously… That monster, should we crush it? Or raise it?」
「No getting a head start. Though negotiating to make it a servant is allowed!」
The demon lords thought.
However, they also needed to consider the chance of it becoming a threat.
「Hey, about this, can we keep it a secret among the four of us? Since we finally got something to kill our boredom with!」
The real purpose was, of course, to gain a trump card against the absent demon lords. That’s how highly they valued that monster.
However, that time has yet to come.
Had the demon lords moved at this time, then Rimuru’s fate would be very different.
However, the demon lords did not move.
That decision moved the gears of fate.
And, pushed this story onto an unalterable route.